I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it here before, but I don’t drive. I have a genetic disorder called albinism and one of its effects is poor vision. Glasses help to the degree that theoretically I could get a restricted license, but I know myself and my vision. I do not belong behind the wheel in a two-ton killing machine. I’d be putting myself at risk as well as anyone else in the car or on the road.

I moved to Portland 9 years ago for college. Portland has amazing public transportation which includes their light rail system that has allowed me to work in different parts of the city than where I lived. This would not be feasible back home in California where the public transportation is lackluster at best.

About a year and a half ago, Luke and I moved to Vancouver, WA which is just across the river from Portland. While it does have a bus system, buses are not exactly two kids under two friendly. If you have a stroller, you have to fold it up and hoist it into the bus and manage your kids. With the light rail, I could just push the stroller right on with them strapped in. Yeah, my kids can walk, but Levi’s a squirmy little guy and I’m pretty sure wrangling him and Lillian on a bus wouldn’t exactly be the most fun thing in the world.

So we spend a lot of time at home. Sure, there’s a park within walking distance of our apartment, but I’m not always brave enough to take the kids by myself. All I see is one of them falling to their demise while I’m attending to the other child. We live in a pretty, open apartment complex that has a plethora of trees and grass, but because it’s so open, I get stressed out telling my kids not to run off in two different directions simultaneously.

Some days I’m really angry at the fact I can’t drive and take my kids fun places right now. I wish I could take them to museums or the zoo or all those other cool places I see parents taking their kids. It’s easy to get bogged down by my limitations. I was getting ready to stew and whine and moan the other day when I was reminded of one important thing.

I have Couch Slide.

Our couch is in two parts. One is 3/4′s of a full size couch and the other piece runs perpendicular to it. That second piece is the other 1/4 of the couch and a chaise lounge kinda thing. The chaise lounge part has a giant cushion. A couple months ago I discovered that if you remove said giant cushion, place one end on the edge of the couch, and reinforce it with smaller couch cushions you magically have…

Couch Slide!

The kids love climbing up it and “sliding” down. They like to roll down couch slide. They even just like the fact the couch has been dismantled which makes it a totally different experience.

I can’t easily take my kids to fun places right now. Hopefully we’ll move back to Portland, and of course they’ll get a little older, which will make taking them fun places by myself easier. I could complain and feel bad about myself for the struggles I have, or I can make due with what I got.

And what I got is Couch Slide.

And my kids think it’s great.

Limitations are only obstacles if we allow them to be. Couch Slide is how I overcame one of my hurdles. How have you surpassed your limits?